This invention relates to a graphical user interface and more particularly, relates to a graphical user interface wherein a desired command can be quickly and certainly input.
Recently, as a computer has higher capability, there has become popular a graphical user interface (GUI) which displays graphical images (so-called icons) corresponding to functions and/or programs to be executed. The GUI enables a user to point a desired icon by using a pointing device such as a mouse, so that a desired program is selected and executed. Therefore, the user need not memorize commands to execute a program and even a beginner user has become able to operate a computer easily.
Among the most generally used GUI currently, there is known a multi-window system for providing plural independent display areas (windows) in a two-dimensional display. For example, WINDOWS (trademark) by Microsoft Corp. is an example of such a system. In this multi-window system, a window called a folder is provided for each category and each icon is displayed in a folder of the corresponding category. However, positions where these windows (folders) are displayed are not necessarily specified. Therefore, a window is sometimes hidden behind other windows. When the user cannot recognize the hidden window, he cannot quickly select a desired window.
To resolve this kind of problem, it is possible to provide a new graphical user interface. However, providing a completely different operating system to provide such a new GUI would confuse users who want to have a common operating system with other users. Therefore, it is preferable to provide a application software which can display a new GUI. Such an application software must not a new operating system but a mere application software which can run under the currently available operating system.